FIG. 27 shows a conventional structure of the above-described data carrier system. A vehicle 1 is equipped with a vehicle-side control device 2. When an IC card 3 is inserted in a holder of the vehicle 1 to allow start-up of an engine, the vehicle-side control device 2 transmits operational data (the date and time of start-up of the engine, and the like) of the vehicle 1 to the IC card 3 and the operational data is stored in the IC card 3. Further, a reading device 4 is installed in an office. When a personal computer 5 is operated with the IC card 3 being inserted in the reading device 4, the reading device 4 reads the operational data from the IC card 3 and transmits the same to the personal computer 5. As a result, the personal computer 5 displays the operational data on an image surface thereof or stores the same in a floppy disk.
In the above-described structure, when a storage capacity of the IC card 3 becomes full, the operational data cannot be recorded in the IC card 3. For this reason, when the personal computer 5 is operated, an initialization command is transmitted to the IC card 3 via the reading device 4 and the IC card 3 is provided to clear the operational data. However, initialization with the IC card 3 being carried in an office or the like may be a difficult operation depending on the existing state of things, or management of initialization wherein the IC card 3 is carried into an office or the like may be difficult. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the operational data may not be surely recorded.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described circumstances and an object thereof is to provide a data carrier system which can reliably record operational data.